Environment - Introduction

Environment statistics describe the state of and trends in the environment, covering the media of the natural environment (air/climate, water, land/soil), living organisms within those media and human settlements (United Nations Environment Programme, 2012). This is one of the statistical fields traditionally considered gender-neutral and often developed without much consideration of all the aspects and implications relating to individuals. Yet, environmental conditions have a different impact on the lives of women and men owing to existing gender inequality. In particular, lack of access to safe water and energy, environmental degradation and natural disasters disproportionately affect women in terms of unremunerated work, health and mortality. In addition, women’s role in environmental protection is hampered by gender inequality in access to education and training, information and technologies, and decision-making. These issues are covered, in this section, under two subtopics: environmental aspects with gender-differentiated impacts and involvement of women and men in the management of the environment.